Electric switch.



C. W. BROCKETT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I8. 1915.

1,251,178. Patented Dec. 25,1917.

- UNITED STATES PATENT FF Q Q cnsnnns wmnocxn'rn'or nnooxmm, NEW'YOBK; ASSIGNOB 'ro w. a. os'rneunnn a COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OI NEW YORK.

unaware swxrcn.

Switch, of which the following is a spec1- V fication. v

'Myinventionrelates particularly to key socketflswitches endthe important objects cfjithe invention are to simplify the construction andbperation, to reduce the cost of production and to'increase the current carrying. capacity.

In a. switch constructed in accordance withmy invention, the insulating supportfing base is made in two complementary parts, forming between them at one side of the'basean open-sided switchchamber in 'which are forced upwardly and downengagement with contacts c'ar- 'wardly into I ried by. the

which is mounted a contact device in the form of a yoke having spring contact arms two parts of the base. These spring armsare actuated by a cam mounted on a spindle which is journaled between the two parts of the base. I

A] special featureis the provision of a post carried by'one of the members of the ase and provided with a bearing for supporting the outer end portion of the spindle. Another special feature is a clip' or bracketfor securing the contact yoke in. place, which is gripped between the two parts of the base.

Other features and details of construc tion will appear as the specification proceeds. attcntion'being directed to the accompanying drawing, illustrating a concrete and practical form of the invention.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1, is a View in side elevation of a socket switch embodying the invention.

Fig. 2, is a. front View of the same. lookinginto the switch chamber. the hearin post for the spindle having been remover. in this view and the spindle showing in section.

Fig. 3, is a view showing the opposite side of the switch from that shown in Fig. 1.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 191 7.

n gllcation flle'd January 18, 1816. Serial No. 8,707.

Fig. 4, is a rear view of the switch, showing the side 0 posite that in which the openside switch ciamber is formed. Fig. 5, is a top-plan viewof'the upper member of the base'and the parts'carried thereby. -85

Fig. 6, is a base member.

tially on the plane of the line 8; 890i the Fl ;5. ,v.

igs. 9, and 10Lare detailviews ofthe com tact yoke andbearingpost. 1 a as v In the construction illustrated,"the base is made up of two com lementa parts 10 and 11 secured together y through screws 12 and 13. These screws. extend 11 through the flange 14 of the screw shelh'lo contact 15 and so serve to secure the'scr eww I shell contact in place asfjwell 'asto fasten 5 the two parts of the base together. One of these screws'iS utilized also use current carrying conductor, screw 12 engaging at i its upper end with the angled. footlG/ifv a circuit terminal17- located in .a 18 in the edge of theupper base member? 10. =j

The foot 16 of this circuit terminal seats in-a. recess20 in the top of thenpper basemember and this seat is preferably cut down i as indicated at 21 to receive the end of the terminal binding screw 22. This cutting down of the seat 20 enables the assemblage of the parts by simply dropping the circuit terminal straight dowri on top of the securing screw entered from below and avoids the necessity of unscrewing the binding screw 22 before assembling the parts.

The other circuit wire is connected with a terminal '25 disposed in a recess 26 formed in the edge of the upper base member opposite the first terminal notch. This terminal may be secured in place by a screw 27 passed down throughthc top of the upper base member into engagement with the an; gular and laterally extending foot portion 28. This angularly extending foot portion bottom "plan view r at "same. Fi 7 is a similar. view of this bese 'niem 9 here one.

so. Fig. 8, is a sectional'view taken'substan= tions for fastening, by supporting it between 28 forms one of the switch contacts, projecting for that purpose into the upper portion of a switch chamber 29 provided between the two parts of the base.

This switch chamber is formed in the illustration by providing the up r base member with a recess 80 in one geportion thereof and the other .base member with a complementary recess 31, the two recesses forming when the'parts are com jbined a'switch'ch'a ber substantially closed at the top and bott m but open atthe side of the base.

Opposed to the contact member 28 carriedby t is upper base member is a contact member 33 carried by the. lower base member,

, this lower contact being secured in place by a screw 34 passed upward through the base member and engaged at the lower side thereof with a center lamp contact 35.

The two switch contacts described are bridged, in circuit closin'g condition, by a yoke shaped spring, embodying anupright 125 a "orally in the switch chamber-into 'a position ase portion 88 carrying at its opposite ends spring contact arms 39 and 40'exte'nding lat.-

e to engage: with the upper a'nd lower switch j cont acts respeetively This spring contact yoke is secured positionwrthnut.weakening it with perforathe meeting faces of the two members of the base. In the spccificiorm ilhlstrated the Yoke is positioned and, supported by a racket 43 'loopcd about the base portion of the,yoke as indicatedat 47 and seated in ,registcringslots 44 formed in the meeting ffaccsof the two. base members. Endwise displmrcmcnt of 'this supporting bracket' is prevented by turning the'onter end: of the bracket at anangle as indicated at 45, said anchoring portion seating in the recesses 46 in the outer face of the base. This forms a very secure inexpensive and easily assemhledtmonnting-for the spring yoke. The. loop 47 which embraces or partially embraces the base portion of the yoke is'preferably made large enough to permit the-full spring action on the yoke, asin'dicatcd in Fig. 2. v a

Vertical displacement of the spring yoke is prevented, in the illustration, by notching the forward or outer edge of the base portion of the yoke substantially as indicated at 48 and engaging the loop l7 of the bracket in this notch.' The base portion of the spring yoke may be still'encd somewhat by ribbing it longitndinnlly'substantially as indicatml at 4?).

-The spring contact arms are forccdinto cngagcnn'nt with the respective switch'contarts by a spreading device in the form of a cam :"itlnionntvd on the spindle 5| This cam lsprol'erably made of, metal so as to car a portion of the load at the breaking 5 of t e circuit and thus relieve the spring yoke to a certain extent. The cam is loosely engaged on the spindle but. rotates therewith when thespindle has been. turned far enough to engage the outstanding projecting lugs 52 therewith.

-' The switch operating spindle. 51 is journaled at its inner end between the two members of the switch base and at its outer end is provided' with a k ely tu'atingdevice 52. he outer end portion of this spindle is preferably braced and supported by journa ing it in a post 53 secured to the upper base member and projecting downwardly into the switch chamber. In so this way ,the spindle is firmly supported at both ends. The inner end portion of the spindle which is journaled in the side portlon of the base opposite that in which the v switch chamber is formed, may rotate in bearing washers 54 clamped between the meetingfaces of the base members. The switch operating member is in this construction mounted on the spindle between the bearings therefor, resulting in a better'me- '90 chanicalo crati'on and theibracingr1 of the spindle at 0th ends also preventst s; i'ndle acting as a lever to force thetwo also members apart. The journal post for the outer end of tllc spindle is in theillustrw. J

tion formcdwith radial extensions 555 from the bearing opening therein'to receive the v radially projecting keying lugs 52 on the spindle. V

' The spindle bearing post 58 mayieolive n icntly be stamped from sheet metal. and a convenient method of securingitflin' place is to 'pass the shank of the same uppi'ard through-an opening in the uppcrb'ass'memher and 'cleneh over the upper end of the same at the top of said base member substantially as indicated at 56 in Fig. 5. It will be noticed that in my construction i the parts are all thoroughly insulated and that the/cam operated spring contacts pro;

vidc'a quick acting donble'make and double break. Furthermore at the instant of breaking the-circuit the metal cam is-in parallel with the contact arms across the break. All

those facts contribnte,,to give the switch a high current carrying capacity. In addition to this important advantage, the switch is relatively inexpensive and the members which go to make up the base can be'readily produced by a simple die action.

\Vhat/Iclaim is:-- ""T'hY'WHWltCh of the character described, the combination of a two-part insulating hasc comprising nppelt'and lower complenn-ntary mcmbers of insulating material arrangmtin abutting relation to thereby form a solid wall of insulating material and having complementary recesses at one side tormor' other suitable ac- 75 ing an open switch chamber in the side of the base, switch mechanism in said chamber, a. switch operating spindle rotatcbly held at one and between the meeting faces 'of the abutting insulating members of the base and extending out through the open side of the switch chamber anda post secured-t0 one of the insulating-members of the base rat s point in line. .Withtthe open switch, chamber and provided with a bearing receiving and supportiizfi the outer opposite md'portio ta'es in' .ps

' 2'. t'ch'of the'chara'cter described,

'the'comb ationofa two-part-insulating baseconiprising upper and lower cor'nple mentary providing a 'switch' chamfinentarym in ytermin ber therebetvveen, a spindle journaled in [said base and passing through the switch chamber, afcam on said spindle within the switch chamber, a contact carried by the upper base member within the switch chamber, a contact carried by the lower base idem.- 7

her within the switch chamber, a contact yoke supportedbetween the meeting faces of said basqmembers providcd with spring arms passingabove and below the cainiand edaptedfd forced upwardly and; d

Pre a d lower s i an e aml th s il h screws} whereby said) screw offthefswit'ch e9 tact s J st nt & 9 s e i 'mpl emb'ers'provldmg a switch chamber therebe ween,- said upper member hav- '=recesses in opposite edge portions therofja spindle jqurnaled in said base-and passing 'throu h the switchclmrnher, a cam 'on said spin le within theswitch chamber, a contact carried by the upper base member within the switch chamber. a contact carried by the lower base member within the switch chamber. a contact yoke supported between the meeting faces of said base niembbrs providcd'with spring arms passing above and below the cam and adapted to be forced upwardlv and downwardly into engagement with the contacts carried by the upper and lower base members respectively, a screw shell contact having an end flange engafled with the end face of. the lower liiliqQ-Ififilflbl. screws passed upwardly through said end flange and through the base members to thereby secure all of said the combination? QQ Q Z-JIi EQ-QP gagen ent 'withthe ontacts ea h me .i a "'d 'hth thereby secure" allf'of lsaid v as circuit terminal engiiged. r p e 'znem sg s PP,

' "of Sald' switch chamber ia ontact yoke in parts together, a circuit terminal seated in one of the edge recesses in the upper member and engaged by one of said screws whereby said screw shell is connected in circuit, a circuit terminal disposed in the other edge recess in the upper member and connected to the switch contact carried by the upper base member, and a centerlanip. contact connected base memb -I- to the swit h jcont t car' fbx; th qwer msulatii base comprismg upperndl-iloiw ei-"complementary members providin a swit'ch chamber therebetween, said-comp ementary memf bers having registering'slots in the meeting faces thereof at one side of said switc chamber, a bracket Seated in said slots and gripped thereby between said two base members, a contact yoke having a, base portion engaged by said bracketafnd spaced spring contact arms at the opposite ends of said base portion, a spindle journaled between the two members of the'base, a cam on said spindle engaged between 'the spring contact arnisofthe yoke and contacts carried by the upper and-1ower membersof the base disp pdli "pf 't oa't" said switch; chamber-zhavln an upright base. portion disposed "at on said, switch; 9 chamber and-ii'spaced sprmg contact arms at the oppositegends of said supported base POIiSiQQiQB K iP BIXQiDg iH apposition to be en.-. gaged, withjthe'upper and lower switch -cong aged by the and bottom. 3 4

tacts, a bracketf looped" aboutfth'e .iup'right base portion of thew'ontaet, yoke and gripped between the meeting faces of the two base "members and an operating cam disposed between the spring contact arms and arranged to force the Same into engagement with the'respective switch contacts therefor.

6. In a switch of the character described,

the combination of a two-part insulating base comprising complementary members forming a switch chamber therebetween, opposed contacts carried by said members, a contact yoke comprising a base portion carrying spring contact. arms for engagement with the switch contacts, the base portion of said yoke having a notch in one edge thereof. and a support-bracket for said yoke gripped between the. meeting faces of the base members and provided with a, portion looped about the base portion of the yoke and engaged in the notch in the edge thereof.

7. In a switch of the character described,

' an insulating base having a seat in the top thereof and a recess in the edge adjoining, a circuit terminal disposed in said recess 5 and havingan angled foot engaged in said seat, a secul'mg screw passed up through the base into en'gagenient with said angled foot, an inwardly pro ecting binding-screw car-t ried by the circuit terminal and said base being cut down from the seat in the top'f 10 thereof to a point below the position of Said binding screw whereby said circuit ter-, 1

'minal with the binding screw extended may be dropped down on top of the seciiring screw.

' CHARLES W. BROCKETT. 

